Speaking to FIFA.com, Franco said: “It will be a beautiful game. Whoever wins will deserve it. And it’s going to be interesting to see two different styles: Brazil have shown the best attacking football of the tournament so far, and Portugal have been the best defensive side.
“It is a duel that has had fantastic games in the past, and I’m sure this final won’t be an exception. Portugal are a very strong team and have a coach who has been working on this project for a while. It’s going to be very even, and the title will end up in good hands.
“These kids have huge potential. But they should know also that the talented generations make history by winning titles. They have the talent, but now they also have the chance to put their names in the history of world football. They should go for it, the time has come.”
Franco also revealed that the quarter-final victory over Spain was the moment that gave both himself and his players the belief that they could go on to win the tournament.
“We left Brazil very confident, but when it comes to being champions, at that time it was all hope. Apart from the games, we’ve built a fantastic atmosphere within the squad. Even during the training sessions, you can feel the good atmosphere.
“But I think that the victory over Spain, due to the quality of our opponents, was the best moment. I got the feeling the team was ready to produce a great semi-final, and we knew that we had a good chance of reaching this stage.”
